


Resolve

by wickedorin



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-05 19:43:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1097866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the T&B Fic/Art Gift Exchange this year.  My prompt: "Anything Yuri x Kotetsu".  I just so happened to have a little drabble I'd written years ago and had wanted to flesh out, expand and improve, so... I certainly hope this made a decent gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Resolve

It wasn't the kind of late where his very _bones_ ached, where his eyes felt like they'd been stripped of all moisture and the only thing keeping him awake was the next step he was taking... but it was considerably later than he'd hoped to stay at the courthouse. Of course, that was the fault of one man who just had to save a citizen on the way to court. It wasn't as if he had any particular reason to wait, to hold on until Wild Tiger stumbled into the courtroom with an extra batch of fees. He didn't have any loyalty to this man--  
  
Except that he _did_ , in a way. Something he didn't define, didn't bother to think all that much about so he wouldn't have to deal with the headache after. Wild Tiger was too impulsive to make sense, and any attempt to question his actions only resulted in the need for painkillers.  
  
Those were the thoughts knocking against each other in his head as he made his way quite mechanically to the elevator, just wanting to get home. He didn't even hear the footsteps behind him, the voice making him start slightly.  
  
"Hey, um... I'm sorry."  
  
Slowing down and attempting to look as casual as possible, Yuri regarded the man with a polite nod. "Mr. Lloyds is likely to make certain of that."  
  
"Heh. Well, yeah." Kotetsu grinned a bit sheepishly, mask still in place even if he _wasn't_ technically serving as Wild Tiger at that point. "But I mean about you having to stay late and all. Can I make it up to you?"  
  
"Bribes aren't usually looked upon favorably." He was a little bit _grumpy_ , he supposed; but that normally resulted more in his dry attempts at amusing himself than anything.  
  
The Hero couldn't catch humor that didn't appear to be _there_ , sputtering. "I wouldn't bribe a judge!"  
  
Well that did bring a slight grin to the judge's face as he simply stopped walking, turning fully to the Hero. "I'm joking, Mr. Kaburagi." Mostly, at least.  
  
Kotetsu had both hands pressed against his chest in a comically overdramatic gesture; though for a moment there his pulse really had started racing. "O-oh. Geez. Stop a man's heart, will ya! I meant, I want to make it up to _you_. Not a judge."  
  
Now that was just puzzling. "I'm not sure that I follow."  
  
There was a little glint of _something_ in those warm honey-brown eyes, suggesting he had some sort of advantage. "Well, tomorrow's your day off, right?"  
  
Yuri raised one eyebrow, voice just a touch hard. "And how in the world did you know that?"  
  
"I was kinda hoping." The Hero answered with a little shrug, not bothering to hide a teasing grin. "You haven't had a day off in a while, so. Wanna do something tonight?"  
  
"Mr. Kaburagi, I'm likely far too tired to--"  
  
"Nah, nothing big or anything like that. Just... making it up to you, maybe." He assured with all the sincerity he could muster.  
  
Which was quite a lot, it had to be said. Even so, Yuri was a bit suspicious of motives. "By taking more of my time?"  
  
That time, Kotetsu didn't fall for the sharp barb. "You got it."  
  
The man was an idiot. A moron. Maybe he was just _insane_ \--then Yuri sighed at his own thoughts rather than the expectant grin the other man was giving him. It was late. He was tired. He ought to he heading home and planning his next "outing" in the city at night while relaxing over a cup of tea, checking on his mother, taking a shower and then going to bed... "Should I stop at home to change?"  
  
That grin somehow intensified. "Nah, you're dressed just right. C'mon."  
  
So _he_ was the idiot, following. Interesting. "And where might you be taking me?"  
  
"Geez, Petrov, just relax, will ya?" Kotetsu laughed.  
  
It was only as he was purposely following after Kaburagi when he noticed what incredibly long legs the man had. What a thing to focus on. "Will you at least take that ridiculous mask off?" Seeing the temporary pout on the other man's face somehow made the whole evening worthwhile.  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
Sitting on top of a tall building on the Gold Stage, sharing a bottle of something unpleasantly strong but pleasantly warming, with Wild Tiger himself. How in the hell had it happened? The Hero could be convincing when he really wanted to be, teasing and _charming_ , but to have somehow actively agreed to _this_... well, internally, he could hardly feel anything but grateful for it. Not that he was about to say so. It was different and interesting, a departure from what he'd been doing; it was actually helping him clear his head somewhat. And, well, drink away from home. That was pleasantly and somewhat embarrassingly new.  
  
"Kind of disturbingly beautiful, isn't it?" Kotetsu asked, staring out at the city.  
  
"Disturbingly?" Yuri repeated with a small sound of amusement, taking a small drink from the bottle and finding himself finally able to avoid cringing upon swallowing.  
  
Taking the bottle back with a slightly lop-sided smile, the Hero made a sweeping gesture over the sights. "The statues... it's like the whole city is a-- Hm. What's that word--altar! Like an altar to ancient gods or something."  
  
Blinking, the judge then chuckled in earnest, if quietly. "I didn't expect something like that from you."  
  
Taking a long pull, he swallowed in several gulps before smiling and handing over the bottle again. "Yeah, well. I'm an idiot, not stupid."  
  
Seeing as how they both laughed at that, Yuri was pretty sure that he was indeed getting too intoxicated to be able to make perfectly-measured decisions. Another point against him, he supposed. Just setting the bottle in his lap instead of drinking, he turned to ask Kotetsu a question. Unfortunately, the alcohol had already taken quite the effect as he leaned forward much more than planned. To his surprise, the Hero didn't shy away from the not-so-accidental kiss at all. Every reason he had to pull back, to _end_ the kiss there and apologize, slipped away from him as Yuri's hand slid to the back of Kotetsu's neck instead, kissing slow and deep and _hungrily_ \--  
  
And then he sobered. Not _completely_ , of course, but enough to realize what he was doing. What he'd done without thought given to consequence, without so much as a mental protest. That was precisely why he didn't drink outside his home, and even then it was rare. "We shouldn't be doing this."  
  
"No, we shouldn't." Kotetsu agreed, voice noticeably breathless; but his eyes told another story entirely. "You're a... judge and all..."  
  
That wasn't why, not at all--but it would do. "There's that." Yuri chose to answer, offering a mild smile and trying to pull back completely.  
  
The Hero looked away for a moment, back at the city spreading underneath and around them. The city that was as much a part of them as they were of it. The words weren't as fragile as he thought they might have been. "Is it me?"  
  
He denied the ache in his chest immediately. There wasn't any reason for it to be there. "No. No, Kotetsu, it is not you." He responded with an honestly and vehemence that surprised even him.  
  
When those eyes turned back to him, they were full of a fire entirely different than his own. "Why, then? Just for a little while..."  
  
 _Dammit, Kaburagi._ Yuri's smile didn't quite manage to hide the ache he still felt, pressing one finger against the other man's lips. Professional. They'd been professionally involved for some time. Since that first damage fine, actually. And every time, _every_ time, the Hero had been able to charm him despite his best efforts to pretend otherwise. To resist. It wasn't the first time they'd been out alone together after hours, but it was the first with alcohol. The first where they really, truly _kissed_ rather than spending time afterward just wondering. Not admitting to wishing. This was too much. Too dangerous. Too likely to distract him. "Kotetsu... Wild Tiger." He corrected. "Our jobs are both full of very real and very separate dangers."  
  
Lightly, Kotetsu grabbed the man's hand and held it, away from his lips. "Isn't that all the more reason to take on the danger together?"  
  
Just the wrong thing to say in just the right way. Yuri took a slow, silent breath. _You will never know how much harm you're doing to my resolve._ "I believe we need to be wishing one another goodnight and getting home, don't you?" Yuri stood before the hero had a chance to argue, only swaying slightly. "I'll take the elevator, then a cab. But surely I will see you in court at some point soon." He was intoxicated enough to tease without a straight face, to let a little of that humor show.  
  
"It's like you have no faith in me." The Hero tossed back, managing to stand without weaving... too much.  
  
And oh how he needed to excuse himself before risking so much more. "Goodnight, Mr. Kaburagi. I trust that you will get home safely."  
  
So that was that, it seemed. "Yeah, I will." Of course, what Yuri didn't seem to realize was just how _tenacious_ he could be when he wanted something. He'd gotten Tomoe, after all... and it had taken him a damn lot longer to convince _her_ to sit up on a roof and drink with him. "Goodnight, Mr. Petrov."


End file.
